LEE R. CHRISTENSEN"s 50th HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNION ~~~Wasatch Academy 1990

 

Lee R. Christensen (water boy)

Coach Brunger and Lee

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Water boy Christensen In the Middle

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Lee's additional comment:   Again I’m attaching the photos intended to go with page 320 of “Buddy”.  Little or no improvement.  When your eyes are closed improvement is nil and  the dark dullness remains but if usable along with the story  they are yours .     lee

Lee R. Christensen 

Lee R. Christensen

January 19, 1922 to June 2, 2018

He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.

Lee Christensen (Buddy) became suddenly ill last week and passed away at the hospital on Saturday. He was very healthy physically and mentally right up until a few days before his death. He died peacefully and without pain.

Lee was born in Chicago, Illinois, where his father was attending law school at Northwestern University, on either November 19, 1921 or January 19, 1922 (dependent on whether you go by the date Lee's family celebrated or his birth certificate). After his father's graduation from Northwestern, the family returned to Mt. Pleasant, Utah, where Lee was known as "Buddy." Lee spent his summers either working on his grandfather's sheep ranch or on a summer project assigned by his father (e.g. minding a cow and selling milk, growing and selling potatoes, chopping down trees and selling the firewood).

Lee played in the marching band at Hamilton grade school, and initially attended North Sanpete High School. During his junior and senior years, Lee attended Wasatch Academy, where in his 1939 yearbook, it was noted that, "he has the type of mind you can sharpen your own on." Lee graduated from Wasatch Academy in 1940 as vice-president of his senior class.

Shortly after graduation, Lee enlisted in the Army, where he was selected to attend Officer Training School in 1942, and was sent to Europe to serve on the front lines of WWII. Lee participated in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day IV, where he was wounded in battle on August 1, 1944 on the outskirts of Percy, France.  He was back in action on December 15. If you're a WWII buff (like Lee) you will remember that Hitler had planned his Ardennes offensive (Battle of the Bulge) to begin on December 1.  Per Lee, "Hitler was trying to start it before I could get back to the front. Hitler failed and the rest is history..."  Lee was discharged from the Army on December 26, 1945 as a First Lieutenant.

After the end of the war, Lee continued in the Army Reserves (making rank of Major) and was a life-long amateur historian in WWII. He completed his bachelor degree in Political Science at UC Berkeley on the GI Bill, and was then hired by the federal government to work for its relatively new "start-up" – the Social Security Administration. Lee spent his entire career working for the SSA, helping ensure individuals understood social security and received their benefits. Lee retired from the SSA as an assistant regional commissioner out of the Seattle office.

Lee was an outdoor enthusiast and summited Mt Rainier twice.  He loved all animals and never met a dog that didn't love him. Lee had a very rich Mormon background. All of his grandparents were born in Utah. He had great-grandparents in Nauvoo, Illinois, and all of them migrated to Utah by 1860, some as early as 1849. His father served a two-year mission in Norway from 1909 to 1912. Despite this, Lee was not a Mormon; although he studied genealogy and his family history (in the days before the internet, when everything was on paper records!)

Lee met Barbara Davis at Berkeley, and they married in December 1949.The couple divorced after raising three daughters (Kitty Christensen, Tracy Trick, and Robyn Christensen-Sandfort). Lee is survived by his three daughters and two grandchildren (Thomas Lee Sandfort and Maya Zichun Sandfort), and four sisters (Ruth Klass, Ginger Keville, Sally MacArthur, and Dottie Smith).

Per Lee's wishes, there will be no service. Brookside Funeral Home is assisting the family. Lee will be cremated and his ashes spread on the ranch in Yakima, WA, overlooking the hills and mountains that he loved.

 In lieu of flowers, please donate to one of the following organizations:

-          PAWS:  https://www.paws.org/support/donate/

-          America's VetDogs: https://www.vetdogs.org/AV/HowtoHelp/AV/HowToHelp/howtohelp.aspx?hkey=677506ac-919b-46bf-8ca8-52a79662f43d

-          Wasatch Academy: http://wasatchacademy.org/giving/

Lee R. Christensen Story From "You Knew Me As Buddy"

KATHY:  I’m currently having some sight problems and I’m scheduled for eye surgery early July.  In the meantime I’m taking eye drops morning, noon and night to get the eye ball in shape.   I tell friends that  won’t know better that I trailed too many sheep too many miles .  But as you and I know I’m just old.  Which is to say it may be some time before I finish my unit history roster .   So I’m sending you a story not exactly Mt Pleasant history but one I like for your consideration.    Page 314 from “Buddie” but attached here with a photo of Jeri.  She is on the right as we look at the photo.  With her the SSA Regional Commissioner , seated,, and Mark Thome and Doris Delcelo.   

KATHY: And I should have added after “for your consideration” and Jeri has never sued !  lee

Lee R. Christensen

July 28, 1998

The story I didn’t tell at Jeri Burgess’s retirement party May 30, 1998.

After a high octane introduction during which my retirement title was mentioned—Deputy Assistant Regional Commissioner for Field Operations-I rise and respond.

If I may paraphrase my old friend, Winston Churchill — “Never in the course of human endeavor has so much title covered so little responsibility”-then my Jeri story.

The speakers here this evening have all been talking about Jeri—but I want to talk about Ms. Burgess.

The Seattle Regional Office was an ongoing, but young bureaucratic organization when I reported for duty, October 1970. Because I was at work my first Monday before the Bremerton ferry docked, I was able to spend time comparing baseball careers with the Regional Commissioner. When his gatekeeper arrived, he said, “Let me introduce you to Ms. Burgess. She’ll introduce you around and show you your office.” I met Ms. Burgess. She showed me around. She introduced me to my secretary—a young lady from Bremerton. She showed me my office.

I noticed my secretary was wearing a small addendum to her name tag that read “Selected by Jeri.” Under my office room number was the same information “Selected by Jeri.” All the major pieces of furniture in my office carried a similar tag, “Selected by Jeri.”

Three or four days later as I was coming out of the Regional Commissioner’s office where we had been discussing the crisis of the moment—where to eat lunch—Ms. Burgess stopped me. “Mr. Christensen,” she said, “you look very handsome in your California casual suit, but this is Washington, Puget Sound, Seattle, and we have our own very distinctive style. Why don’t you drop by Nordstroms, an old shoe store that’s expanding into men’s wear and see if there is something you like. Ask for Mr. Jackson.”

So, in a day or two I dropped by Nordstroms and asked for Mr. Jackson. Turned out he was Senator Jackson’s brother. I introduced myself, and told him Ms. Burgess had sent me. “Oh yes,” he said, “you’ll find your suit right over there on the rack. I went over to the rack. There was just the one suit tagged. “Hold for Mr. Christensen—modeled by Dennis —Selected by Jeri.”

And, Jeri, I am still wearing your suit. Have a long and happy retirement. You’ve earned it.

L. R. Christensen

From Lee R. Christensen's book " You Knew Me As Buddy"

Additional Comments by Lee:  KATHY:   Page posting fine.  I don’t know what photo you plan to use but I’ve never taken a bad one so that too is fine. The baby in the story was  LaMarr  Olsen who also turned out to be a great Wasatcher class of 1945 with Helen Lund and Howard Larsen two other Mt Pleasanters. 

    I’m thinking of this somewhat late in the game but could you use my book on a CD.  My printer has it on a CD and will give me copies.  May make your posting easier?   Also speaking of the book you may want  to post just a paragraph sometime to go with other info you’re posting .  That too is fine.    lee